Anxiety is one of the top reasons people suffer from insomnia, nightmares, restless sleep patterns and waking up sweating at night. If you've been wondering how to reduce your anxiety and how to stop night sweats for an extended period of time, you've likely been experiencing feelings of worry, dread, fear at night and throughout the day. This is a mental health issue that shouldn't go on unchecked – long term anxiety and stress can have real, serious effects on your health.

In addition to talking with your doctor about next steps to take, here are five simple tips for reducing stress, overcoming anxiety and relaxing before bed that may be able to help.

Reading before bed is lifetime tradition for some. Many people do not have enough time during their day to catch up on their favorite magazine or read a book by a favorite author. It has been found that reading before bed is actually good for an adult’s brain, and here’s why:

Stress Reduction: A study highlighted in the Telegraph by the University of Sussex found that when it came to stress reduction, "reading worked best, reducing stress levels by 68%" – according to Dr. David Lewis. It was better than listening to music (61%), drinking tea or coffee (54%) and taking a walk (42%). It only took 6 minutes for participants’ stress levels to be reduced. This is because your mind gets distracted from daily stresses and worries while reading.

Brain Power: Reading can actually boost brain power. Since our brains are muscles, they need to be exercised, and reading is considered more neurologically challenging. Another amazing benefit that reading has on the brain is that it can reduce the risk of developing degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's. A study found that people who engage their brains in activities such as reading, or solving puzzles are 2.5 times less likely to develop that type of illness.

Creativity & Empathy Boost: Reading books allows the reader to see things from different perspectives and feel emotionally connected with others. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Through reading, we are able to see the story through someone else’s eyes and experience their feelings with them.

For many people, sleep meditation can be powerful tool to use against insomnia and other sleep disorders. If you're constantly waking up at night, overheating while sleeping or suffering from restless sleep patterns, there are a number of ways you can approach meditation for relaxation and sleep.

If you're brand new to meditation, you may want to start by looking at YouTube videos of self-guided deep sleep meditations – there are thousands out there! Once you've watched one of these videos several times, you should eventually be able to guide yourself in your bedroom or a quiet space in your home. You can also look to a number of free and paid smartphone apps, though it’s often recommended to leave your smartphone outside your bedroom if you're suffering from restless sleep and insomnia.

For a low-tech option, you could see if yoga and/or meditation classes are offered in your area and learn from a teacher in person.

Sleep studies show that your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep and lowering the temperature of your bedroom can help to facilitate this. Install the BedJet bed fan under sheets to get your core temperature down low enough to signal to your body that it’s time to fall asleep.

If you're struggling to stay asleep because you’re sweating at night while sleeping, the BedJet mattress fan can help with that too. Use the biorhythm settings to pre-program the BedJet to get cooler at the times you know you’re going to wake up hot during the night. Use the Cloud Sheet in conjunction with the BedJet for the best cooling experience. When used together, the Cloud Sheet acts like a cooling blanket and evenly diffuses cooling air across the body from neck to feet. It's like sleeping in a cloud and feels incredibly relaxing and luxurious!

Aromatherapy with essential oils can help you relax. You can use essential oils with a special diffusing device, put a few drops on your skin or use essential oils with your BedJet. Our Aromatherapy Upgrade Kit allows you to enjoy the therapeutic, soothing effects of scented aromatherapy right in your sleep environment. Scents like lavender, valerian, jasmine, vanilla, and sandalwood can all be helpful for sleep. Check out our guide on the Best Essential Oils for Relaxation and Sleep here.

For some people, drinking a bedtime tea can be helpful for falling asleep. Many popular tea brands offer herbal teas specifically for sleep. Before you try an herbal tea, just double check the ingredients to make sure whatever tea you're trying does not have caffeine in it. Here's a list of popular of herbs you'll find in teas for sleep:

• Chamomile – Regarded as a mild tranquilizer that can induce sleep
• Lavender - An anxiolytic (anxiety reliever) that can promote relaxation and calmness
• Lemon balm – Has anxiolytic properties and can aid digestion
• Passion flower – Can promote calmness
• Magnolia bark - An anxiolytic known to help reduce anxiety, depression and reduce stress.
• Valerian root – Can have a sedative-like effect
• Peppermint – Known to soothe digestive system; could help with wake-ups due to indigestion
• Rose petals – Can have sleep-inducing and stress-reducing effects

Sitting and sipping tea an hour or so before bed can be a relaxing ritual that you can combine with other relaxing pre-bedtime rituals like reading, aromatherapy and mindfulness meditation. When you're feeling relaxed and ready to get in bed, you can turn on your BedJet Climate Comfort System and set the perfect temperature your body needs for sleep.

Got questions about BedJet? We're happy to help. Call us at (401) 404–5250 to speak to a real human being or email us at info@bedjet.com. Sign up for our VIP list and follow us elsewhere on the web to get the latest BedJet deals, promos and news!